Does anyone have anything good to say about any of the Internet hobby supplies stores that appear to be run from South Canaan, Pennsylvania using Shopify software?
In my case, I placed an order with a site going by “HobbyWheels.com” for two accessory kits. My credit card was charged, I received an email “confirming” the order and that was that, three months ago. [Top Tip: If you want to complain to your bank about a fraudulent charge, you have to do so much sooner than that.]
It seems my experience was not unique, as the Better Business Bureau gives an “F” to another South Canaan online hobby supply store, “HobbyModels, LLC.” Another site, “InternetHobbies.com” also seems to have some connection with HobbyModels.
With so many brick-and-mortar hobby stores gone in the U.S., and the great online sales machine that is Amazon pushing the survivors to the brink, how does one distinguish the small, honest but slow dealer from a fraudster who knows that chasing less than thousands of dollars across state lines is a fool’s errand?
I am happy to say I’ve had nothing but postive experiences with scale hobby online stores based in the U.S., the U.K. and Japan, with the single glaring exception that prompted this thread.
I try to support our local surviving hobby shops when I can, but a 2-hour roundtrip by car is hard to get excited about.